Because she's deaf, Lani Dirks can't hear the crowd cheering here, but like any other kid up to bat, she's hoping for a hit.

Her mother, Heather Dirks, says they had to wait until Lani was 5 and old enough to be in the Kiwanis Miracle League.

"She's been really happy. She's excited. She was really happy when we got here and she found out what she was doing," her mom said.

The league's mission is to give every child the chance to play baseball, regardless of their ability.

"It's a very uplifting experience, as a parent of a child with special needs, to see a community like this rallying around them," said Sheila Lynch, who has a child playing in the Miracle League. "This provides an opportunity that doesn't exist elsewhere."

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They started with only 62 players but it's since grown to nearly 215.

Michelle Lockhart has been a volunteer coach for three years.

"It's the best feeling just to see them out here having this much fun all the time. Being able to do sports just like everyone else is just awesome," she said.